Strand treatment apparatus

ABSTRACT

Textile strands are crimped by feeding them into and forwarding them within a laterally confining region that terminates in a laterally surrounding fine screen with a flared outlet end. The resulting strand-crimping apparatus of stuffer-crimper type utilizes flow of injected fluid to forward or assist in forwarding the crimped strand there-through, and openings are provided to the exterior from the laterally confining region to preclude overaccumulation of such fluid.

D United States Patent 1 1 1 1 3,879,821 Stanley Apr. 29, 1975 STRAND TREATMENT APPARATUS [56] References Cited [75] Inventor: Robert K. Stanley, Media, Pa. UNITED STATES PATENTS 2.575.839 11/1951 Rainard 28/7214 [73] Asslgnee' 5:32: 1? Kennett 3.046.633 7/1962 Ohashi ct a1. 28/].6 3.256.582 6/1966 Burleson 28/13 22] Fi F 19, 1974 3.298.079 H1967 Agctt et a1. 28/72.14 3.343.240 /1967 Parmcggiani et a1. 28/l.3 1 1 pp 43,799 3.482.294 12/1969 Holy 28/1.6

.9 97 "ll al.. 28 W Related Dam 3223.08? ii97 2 8/12 Continuation-impart of Sen 1 3.763.525 10/1973 MacKnight 28/1.3

1973. which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 343.644. March 22. 1973. and a continuation-inart 6f Scr. N0. 376.890. July 5. 1973. which a: a '""P" continuation-in-part of Scr. No. 343.644. and a Agent or Flrmcharles McClure continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 124.213. March 15. 1971. Pat. No. 3.753.275. which is a [57] ABSTRACT continuation-in-part of Scr. No. 822.429. May 7. I969 Pat No 3570083. which is a Textlle strands are crlmped by feeding them mto and continuation-in-part of SCI. NO. 678.428. Oct. 26. forwarding them Within a laterally confining region I967. Pm. No. 3.462.814, and a continuation-in-part that terminates in a laterally surrounding fine screen of Scr. No. 302.758. July 31. 1963. Pat. No. withaflared outlet end. The resulting strand-crimping 3376,632- apparatus of stuffer-crimper type utilizes flow of injected fluid to forward or assist in forwarding the U-S. Cl. crimped strand thereqhrouglm and penings are pro- [5 lnt. vided to the exterior from [he laterany confining reof Search gion to preclude over-accumulation of uch 8 Claims, 13, brawing Figures PATHHEUAFRZSWS SHEET 1 BF 2 Ion Fig 3 lOa STRAND TREATMENT APPARATUS This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Ser. No. 405,262 filed 11 Oct. 1973, which was a continuation-in-part of my copending applications Ser. No. 343,644 filed 22 Mar. 1973 and Ser. No. 376,890 filed July 1973, the latter of which was a continuation-in-part of the former and of Ser. No. 124,213 filed Mar. 1971 U.S. Pat. No. 3,753,275, which was a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 822,429 filed 7 May 1969 and now U.S. Pat. No. 3,570,083, itself a continuation-in-part of my prior applications, Ser. No. 678,428 filed 26 Oct. 1967 (now U.S. Pat. No. 3,462,814) and Ser. No. 302,758 filed 31, July 1963 (now U.S. Pat. No. 3,376,622).

This invention relates to longitudinally compressive or stuffer crimping of textile strands, especially with the aid of an injected fluid to forward or aid in forwarding the strand within a laterally confining region wherein it is compressively crimped.

Numerous means and methods of bulking or crimping textile strands are well known, one of them being compressive or stuffer crimping, in which strands are fed longitudinally into a laterally confining region through which their passage is retarded sufficiently to result in buckling of incoming strands into crimped configuration. Injected fluid has been used to forward or assist in forwarding strands for compressive crimping therein but'with some attendant difficulties. Overaccumulation of the forwarding fluid within the inlet end may be force the strand so tightly against the laterally confining wall as to degrade or even jam it. In addition, at or approaching the outlet end of the lateral confinement, the fluid force may not be dissipated smoothly enough to provide suitable strand transition from confinement in the interior to the unconfined exterior and may occasion undesirable configurational irregularities in the crimped strand. Such apparatus may be combined with strand-drawing apparatus to constitute a draw-crimper.

A primary object of the present invention is improved longitudinally compressive crimping of textile strands.

Another object is stuffer-crimping of textile strands without formation of undesired jet-induced strand configurations or degradation from excessive lateral compression or subsequent expansion.

A further object is provision of strand-crimping apparatus for accomplishing the foregoing objects.

Other objects of this invention, together with means and methods for attaining the various objects, will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying diagrams of various embodiments thereof, which are presented by way of example rather than limitation.

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of strand treatment utilizing apparatus according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevation, largely in section along II-II in FIG. 1, of certain of such apparatus, less the strand shown in that preceding view;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view of part thereof with the strand in place, on a further enlarged scale;

FIG. 4 is a similar fragmentary view of another part thereof; and

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of a modification of fluidinjection means relative to that shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal section through part of a stuffing chamber of the apparatus of preceding views;

FIG. 7 is a transverse section taken at VIIVII on FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a similar transverse section showing means for adjusting the effective opening size moved to a different position;

FIG. 9 is a longitudinal section similar to that of FIG. 6 but with modifications shown therein;

FIG. 10 is a section like that of FIG. 9 but showing the means for adjusting effective opening size displaced from its previous position;

FIG. 11 is another longitudinal section similar to that of FIG. 9 but with modification of openings therein;

FIG. 12 is a transverse section taken at XII-XII on FIG. 11', and

FIG. 13 is a similar view but with the means for adjusting effective opening size rotated from the position shown in FIG. 12.

In general, the objects of the present invention are accomplished, in textile strand-crimping apparatus having an entrance and an exit and means laterally confining such strand for forwarding therebetween and means for injecting fluid for use in forwarding the strand, by means of openings in the laterally confining means to preclude over-accumulation of such fluid therein, preferably together with adjustable means for varying the effective size of such openings.

FIG. 1 shows strand 10 as being withdrawn from package 11 thereof and forwarded through guide 12 to first pair l3, l3 and then second pair 15, 15 of godet and separator rolls within enclosure 14. The enclosure may be heated, as may the godets themselves, which also may draw the strand therebetween to increased length. Upon leaving the enclosure, the strand (now designated 10') passes through the nip of pair of rolls 16, 16 mounted on axles 16a, 16a and into the entrance of nip-jet stuffer-crimper 28 having laterally confining stuffing chamber 18. Injection tube 17 (partly broken away) extends obliquely into the crimper wall and receives air thereinto and onto the strand just downstream of the roll nip. Crimped strand 10 is withdrawn gion 19, in which it is adjusted in tension, speed, or temperature (or a combination thereof) and then is shown as being wound into package 21 by drive roll 20, which may be slotted helically to transverse the strand onto the package. It should be understood that both the manner and means of supply of strand for such crimping treatment, with or without a drawing step, and the withdrawal of the strand after such treatment are merely examples easy to illustrate and that the strand may be received directly from other treatment and may be forwarded to yet other treatment instead.

1 FIG. 2 shows nip-jet stuffer-crimper 28 of the present invention largely resembling that of the preceding view but in greater detail, including tubular entrance portion 31, exit portion 34, and intermediate portion 32 joining the entrance and exit portions of stuffing chamber 18, which has sets of openings 7a, 7b, and 7c therethrough to the exterior. Feed roll 16 protruding leftward beyond beveled end 18a of the entrance portion, which is beveled to fit within the bight of the rolls, nearly to the nip, is visible because roll l6is absent from this view. Extending obliquely to one another and to the ,downsteamdirection of strand travel are pair of fluid inlet tubes l7, l7 communicating with entrance portion 31 at angles of about 30 below and above the horizontal immediately downstream from the entrance end.

The bore of the intermediate portion of the stuffing chamber downstream from the mentioned openings is shown stepped outwardly in the downstream direction (to the right) at 32a and 32b. Exit portion 34 flares smoothly outward and has smaller openings therethrough (indicated here by stippling) throughout its length, from junction 33 with the intermediate portion to chamber outlet 35 (shown broken away). The exit portion is screenlike in function and structure and sometimes is called a screen" herein notwithstanding that it may or may not be woven in form and that it is impractical to show a very fine-mesh woven form in the drawing. The strand shown in FIG. 1 is omitted from FIG. 2 in the interest of clarity but is shown again in the fragmentary enlarged views following.

FIG. 3 shows part of stuffing chamber intermediate portion 32 flanking step 32a and filled with compact strand accumulation 10a (shown stylized). FIG. 4 shows parts of intermediate portion 32 and flaring exit portion 34 flanking junction 33 therebetween. Opening 36 through the wall of the exit portion from the interior to the exterior are visible (not necessarily drwan to scale) in this view, and the strand accumulation therein becomes less compact in the exit direction. Further downstream (v. FIG. 1) crimped strand 10" is withdrawn longitudinally from the exit portion for any subsequent treatment. The illustrated degree of flare is about 10 cohic'ally relative to the axis; at least about 5 is desirable, and upwards of 15 can be useful. If desired, the vwall of intermediate portion 32 may be provided with openings like those previously mentioned, but for the sake of clarity and simplicity separate showings are presented.

Operation of the illustrated apparatus in the practice of the present invention is readily understood. Textile strand is' withdrawn from package 11 or any other suitable source of supply of such strand and is passed through guide 12 or other appropriate guide, which imposes some degreeof tension. Input godet and separator roll pair 13, 13 about which the strand passes is essentially non-slipping contact, establish a given input speed, which is normally exceeded by the speed of output gode'tand separator roll pair 15, 15' about which the strand passes similarly. In the event of a sufficient disparity between input and output speeds the strand is drawn to increased length, for which a ratio of 4X is customary in the treatment of nylon strands, for example. Criming preferably follows closely after drawing.

The rate at which resulting strand 10' enters nip-jet stuffer-crimper 28 is at least the rate at which it leaves the output godet and separator roll pair and preferably is higher. At least one of nip rolls 16, 16' is driven, and the surface speed thereof is regulated relative to that of output draw roll 15, by conventional means (not shown), much as the speed of the output draw roll is controlled relative to that of the input draw roll, but

- with a lesser degree of underfeed in the downstream direction.

A greater than about ten percent roll overspeed, corresponding to strand 'underfeed, the strands probably will be drawn to further increased length, unless a maximum draw for the particular strandcomposition already had been imposed, and such'further draw may equal or even exceed the previous draw if desired. It is preferred, although'not necessary, that the strands not have been drawn significantly at a remote previous time, although appreciable benefit from the present invention may be attained if such previous draw did not exceed about half the total drawability of the undrawn material, thereby leaving it still substantially drawable. It is preferred to limit the degree of underfeed from rolls 15, 15' to the crimper to at most half the total drawing underfeed, or usually to not much more than about 200percent. A range of from about 5 to 50 percent underfeed is preferred when little or no added draw is desired, and a range of from about to 200 percent when substantial added draw is desired at the crimper input.

Air at superatmospheric pressure enters through tubes 17, 17 of the air jet means, then entrains and forwards (or at least assists in forwarding) the infed strand into and through entrance portion 31, whereupon it is compacted into accumulation 10a of crimped strand. The inside wall of the initial intermediate portion of the laterally confining chamber is smoothly cylindrical and provided with openings therethrough as aforementioned, the later intermediate portion is cylindrical and stepped outward, and the exit portion is finely perforated and is flared smoothly outward. The propelling air pressure is relieved in part through the initial openings, further by such increasing cross-section of the chamber bore, and additionally by escaping in a sort of diffusion through the sidewall openings in flared exit portion 34 as well as flowing out the outlet 35 thereof, which is greatly enlarged over the intermediate portion.

Three circumferential rows of evenly spaced initial openings are shown in FIG. 2 and (on an enlarged scale) in FIG. 6 and subsequent views. Each opening is in the form of a small cylindrical bore raked backward in the upstream direction from the interior to the exterior of the stuffing chamber wall, to permit efflux of excessfluid while the remaining fluid continues to forward the strand in the downstream direction. The angle of rake is sufficient to discourage the strand and its individual filaments from entering, obstructing, and possibly clogging. the openings or breaking as a consequence thereof. The upstream angle between opening bore and chamber bore is less than half a right angle and preferably about 30 (corresponding to a rake angle of 60).

The intermediate portion is preferably multiply stepped outward in the downstream direction, as shown in FIG. 2, but in addition thereto or instead thereof it may be tapered similarly. Transition steps or taper may occur at the junctions of succeeding portions with one .another and at the outlet end of the exit portion.

Openings 36 from the interior to the exterior of exit portion 34 of the stuffing chamber are shown as small radial bores through the wall thereof, As indicated above, such a structure is considered to be a screen, in view of the fineness of the openings. Of course, a similarly fine woven screen is suitable also. A representative 60 mesh screen useful according to this invention has wire and opening widths of 0.008 or 0.009 inch,

and the openings comprise about 30 percent of the screen area. A surface with such fine openings appears to have an overall matte finish rather than discrete openings therein. The number of openings per unit area need not be uniform but may diminish in density (increase in spacing) toward theoutlet, e.g., along equiangular lines as in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 shows modified fluid injection means 28', which differs from that in stuffer crimper 28 of the preceding views by elimination of the nip rolls. This modification relies solely upon injection of air (or other fluid) to feed the strand thereinto as well as to forward it along once therein. Air at superatmospheric pressure enters through air inlet means 26 and passes through channel 30 past the outlet end of jet means 24. The venturi there established forwards strand into and through strand inlet means 25 and jet means 24 and on into entrance portion 31 of stuffing chamber 18 as in the previous embodiment.

FIG. 6 shows on a larger scale the portion of stuffing chamber 18 containing the initial openings visible in FIG. 2: 7a (three visible out of four), 7b (four visible out of six), and 7c (five visible out ofeight). Perforated sleeve 38 fits closely therearound and is positioned with its openings 37 aligned with each of openings 7a, 7b, and 7c, as shown in further detail in FIG. 7 (in which the rake of the latter is not visible). The sleeve can, be moved (e.g., rotated as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 8) to reduce the degree of registry of its openings with those in the chamber wall or to close them off entirely.

FIG. 9 is largely similar to FIG. 6, but the openings through the chamber wall (here denoted as 18a) are modified (and, hence, redesignated 7a, 7b, amd 70') to increase their cross-section at least longitudinally thereof from an intermediate depth to the wall exterior. Individual sleeves 38a, 38b, and 38c are provided so as to permit individual adjustment of the opening size in the respective rows, the openings therein (redesignated 37a, 37b, and 37c) are correspondingly enlarged and are shown in registry therewith in FIG. 9. In FIG. 10, however, the sleeves have been moved along the cham-. her (as indicated by arrows) to close the wall openings partially.

FIG. 11 resembles FIG. 9 in having individual sleeves, but the openings (here denoted as 37a, 37b, and 37c) in the chamber wall (redesignated as 18b) are enlarged at least laterally, as shown more clearly in the transverse section of FIG. 12, which also shows more clearly corresponding lateral enlargement of the wall openings (redesignated as 7a", 7b", and 7c", only 7b" being visible in the latter view). Although shown in registry in FIG. 12, the sleeve openings are shown about half out of registry in Fig. 13 by rotation in the direction of the arrow.

It will be apparent that adjustment of effective opening size may be effected by a combination of circumferential and longitudinal displacement of one or more such appropriately perforated sleeves, which are relatively close-fitting to prevent undesired leakage. They may be retained in place frictionally by reason of their close fit, or they or the chamber wall may be provided with clamps to hold them in place. If desired they may be threaded onto the wall for fine adjustability. In any event they can be readily adjusted in position manually as desired.

Such adjustment is useful to assure continued infe'eding and forwarding of the strand into and through the chamber, which otherwise may tend to jam with an accumulation of crimped strand or may become emptied of strand at undesirable pressure and flow conditions. Positioning the sleeves to adjust the effective opening size is an empirical art not readily described, but a little practice on the part of persons of ordinary skill should suffice to teach them how to do so satisfactorily.

The advantages of continued operation of jet-stuffercrimping apparatus with reduction or elimination of down time because of snagging, jamming, or emptying of crimped strand in the stuffing chamber are obvious. Further benefits of the practice of this invention are set forth below.

It will be apparent that the fluid injection devices of FIGS. 5 and 2 may be interchanged and be used without or preferably with adjusting sleeves. Also, the portion of the stuffing chamber having openings through the walls thereof may replace, as well as supplement, the stepped or tapered intermediate wall portion, or may be combined therewith, as already indicated. The foregoing means are useful with a non-flared, as wellas flared, outlet end of the chamber, although the flared outlet screened end is preferred.

Suitable means and methods for heating the strand, as in enclosure 14, are set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 3,559,254, and my prior patents recited therein. Appropriate tensioning means are set forth in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,317,977 and its predecessor. Stuffing chambers for use according to this invention preferably are of open-ended type as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,570,084 and my prior patents identified therein. For drawing means, see U.S. Pat. No. 3,570,083 and its predecessors in my name. Means for withdrawing crimped strand from the chamber and through the aftertreating enclosure have been shown schematically and may be wholly conventional.

The stuffer-crimper of this invention not only provides a novel combination of structural characteristics but also functions to produce crimped textile strand having superior qualities of handle, cover, and structural crimp characteristics. Such crimped strands are free of undesired degradation and loops. Although a preferred embodiment and a single modification have been described and illustrated, other modifications may be made therein, as by addition, combination, or subdivision of parts or steps, or by substitution of equivalents, while retaining significant advantages and benefits of the invention, which itself is defined in the following claims.

The claimed Invention:

1. In apparatus for crimping textile strands by longitudinal compression, having an extrance and an exit for such strand and having means laterally confining the strand for forwardly therebetween including successive entrance, intermediate, and exit portions, and means for injecting fluid into the entrance portion for use in forwarding such strand, the improvement wherein at least part thereof prior to the exit portion is provided with openings therethrough to the exterior and the openings at given distances downstream from the injection means have a total area that increases with increase in such distances.

2. In apparatus for crimping textile strands by longi tudinal compression, having an entrance and an exit for such strand and having means laterally confining the strand for forwarding therebetween including successive entrance, intermediate, and exit portions, and means for injecting fluid into the entrance portion for use in forwarding such strand, the improvement wherein at least part thereof prior to the exit portion is provided with openings there-through to the exterior and the openings at given distances downstream from the injection means have a total number that increases with increase in such distances.

3. In apparatus for crimping textile strands by longitudinal compression, having an entrance and an exit for such strand and having means laterally confining the strand for forwarding therebetween including successive entrance, intermediate, and exit portions, and means for injecting fluid into the entrance portion for use in forwarding such strand, the improvement wherein at least part thereof prior to the exit portion is provided with openings therethrough to the exterior and the openings are raked in the upstream direction from the interior to the exterior of the chamber.

4. In apparatus for crimping textile strands by longitudinal compression, having an entrance and an exit for such strand and having means laterally confining the strand for forwarding therebetween including successive entrance, intermediate, and exit portions, and means for injecting fluid into the entrance portion for use in forwarding such strand, the improvement wherein at least part thereof prior to the exit portion is provided with openings therethrough to the exterior and wherein the outlet portion is flared outward at an angle of taper between about to relative to its axis.

5. In stuffer-crimping apparatus for textile strands, having a laterally confining stuffing chamber and jet means for feeding strand thereinto and forwarding it at least partially therethrough, the improvement wherein the chamber wall is provided with openings therethrough to the exterior and including surrounding means for adjusting the effective opening size.

6. Strand-crimping apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the surrounding means comprises at least one sleeve close-fitting about the chamber wall.

7. Strand-crimping apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the openings through the chamber wall are larger in transverse cross-section at the exterior than at the interior thereof.

8. In jet-stuffer-crimper apparatus, the improvement wherein the chamber wall is provided with openings there-through from the interior to the exterior and has close-fitting adjustably positionable sleeve means therearound provided with openings therein adapted to register with the wall openings and to be adjusted out of registry therewith and into intermediate positions of partial registryv 

1. In apparatus for crimping textile strands by longitudinal compression, having an extrance and an exit for such strand and having means laterally confining the strand for forwardly therebetween including successive entrance, intermediate, and exit portions, and means for injecting fluid into the entrance portion for use in forwarding such strand, the improvement wherein at least part thereof prior to the exit portion is provided with openings therethrough to the exterior and the openings at given distances downstream from the injection means have a total area that increases with increase in such distances.
 2. In apparatus for crimping textile strands by longitudinal compression, having an entrance and an exit for such strand and having means laterally confining the strand for forwarding therebetween including successive entrance, intermediate, and exit portions, and means for injecting fluid into the entrance portion for use in forwarding such strand, the improvement wherein at least part thereof prior to the exit portion is provided with openings there-through to the exterior and the openings at given distances downstream from the injection means have a total number that increases with increase in such distances.
 3. In apparatus for crimping textile strands by longitudinal compression, having an entrance and an exit for such strand and having means laterally confining the strand for forwarding therebetween including successive entrance, intermediate, and exit portions, and means for injecting fluid into the entrance portion for use in forwarding such strand, the improvement wherein at least part thereof prior to the exit portion is provided with openings therethrough to the exterior and the openings are raked in the upstream direction from the interior to the exterior of the chamber.
 4. In apparatus for crimping textile strands by longitudinal compression, having an entrance and an exit for such strand and having means laterally confining the strand for forwarding therebetween including successive entrance, intermediate, and exit portions, and means for injecting fluid into the entrance portion for use in forwarding such strand, the improvement wherein at least part thereof prior to the exit portion is provided with openings therethrough to the exterior and wherein the outlet portion is flared outward at an angle of taper between about 5* to 15* relative to its axis.
 5. In stuffer-crimping apparatus fOr textile strands, having a laterally confining stuffing chamber and jet means for feeding strand thereinto and forwarding it at least partially therethrough, the improvement wherein the chamber wall is provided with openings therethrough to the exterior and including surrounding means for adjusting the effective opening size.
 6. Strand-crimping apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the surrounding means comprises at least one sleeve close-fitting about the chamber wall.
 7. Strand-crimping apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the openings through the chamber wall are larger in transverse cross-section at the exterior than at the interior thereof.
 8. In jet-stuffer-crimper apparatus, the improvement wherein the chamber wall is provided with openings there-through from the interior to the exterior and has close-fitting adjustably positionable sleeve means therearound provided with openings therein adapted to register with the wall openings and to be adjusted out of registry therewith and into intermediate positions of partial registry. 